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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000560 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 02/08/07 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
North Korea problem: 
4) Six-party talks restart today, finding Japan sandwiched between 
own hard-line abduction issue and cooperative mood at the talks 
5) US reached compromise with North Korea in Berlin talks, as 
revealed by memo obtained by Asahi 
 
6) Japan to strengthen resource management in its EEZ waters 
 
7) Prime Minister Abe determined to resolve northern territories 
issue with Russia, attends rally that predecessor ignored 
 
8) South Korean plans rocket launch in 2008 but Japan concerned 
about trajectory 
 
Defense and security issues: 
9) USFJ Commander Wright in interview stresses that USFJ realignment 
has been settled 
10) Gen. Wright in interview says F-22 deployment to Kadena proves 
importance of alliance 
11) Defense Ministry plans to expand PKO by sending individual 
experts abroad to teach or train 
 
Political agenda: 
12) Prime Minister Abe in Diet session vows to put every policy 
effort into population-decline issue, with Health Minister 
Yanagisawa remaining at his post 
13) Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) to continue pursuing 
Yanagisawa on "baby-making" issue 
14) Minshuto's Ozawa absents himself from Diet, travels to election 
districts to plan stage for Upper House race 
15) Former Minshuto lawmaker Shingo Nishimura convicted for 
violating lawyer's law but plans to remain a member of the Diet 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
US, DPRK found to have exchanged memorandum in Berlin talks in 
January with Washington's concessions to Pyongyang; Economic 
assistance concurrent with halting reactor 
 
Mainichi: 
Kansai TV does not make public the results of its investigation into 
fabricated data for TV program; MIC: "The survey is insufficient" 
 
Yomiuri: 
Two Kanagawa police arrested on charges of using of handicapped 
persons' names to borrow money 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Poll of leading firms: 28% will hire more people next year; 10% 
consider hiking starting salary 
 
Sankei: 
House of Representatives member Nishimura Shingo convicted of 
 
TOKYO 00000560  002 OF 010 
 
 
lending his name as a lawyer 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Environment Ministry to step up measures against air pollution in 
Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, by applying emissions measures even to 
department stores 
 
Akahata: 
Diet returns to normal owing to JCP proposal 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Debate on falling birthrate: Good and bad aspects of 
Yanagisawa's remark 
(2) 6-party talks: Breakthrough needed 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Provisional estimate of pension benefits: System fuels anxiety 
(2) Why are "manifestoes" not allowed in local elections? 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) 6-party talks: Easy agreement on nuclear issue unwise 
(2) Reconstruction of JAL: Priority must be given to safety 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Basic principles of North Korea policy must be upheld 
(2) Public needs peace of mind about pension benefits 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Diet returns to normal: Serious debates needed 
(2) 6-party talks: Don't make easy agreement for the sake of 
"success" 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) China's maritime survey: Where has the spirit of "harmony" 
gone? 
(2) Green measures: Hope for the future 
 
Akahata: 
Diet returns to normal: Principles of parliamentary democracy must 
be kept 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, February 7 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
07:33 
Arrived at Kantei. 
 
08:11 
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura. 
 
09:00 
Attended a Lower House Budget Committee session. 
 
12:06 
Met Shimomura in the Diet building. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000560  003 OF 010 
 
 
12:39 
Attended a national convention demanding the return of the Northern 
Territories, held at Kudan Kaikan Hall. 
 
13:00 
Attended the Lower House Budget Committee session. 
 
17:22 
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba at Kantei. 
 
19:16 
Dined at a Hotel Okura Japanese restaurant with Internal Affairs and 
Communications Minister Suga, Taimei Yamaguchi, and Yoshitaka 
Sakurada, both Lower House members. 
 
21:00 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
4) Six-party talks to resume today with aim of forming action 
program on North Korea's nuclear dismantlement; Japan sandwiched 
between abduction issue and cooperation 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director 
General Kenichiro Sasae, chief negotiator in the six-party talks on 
North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions, arrived in Beijing on the 
afternoon of Feb. 7 and met separately with the top nuclear 
negotiators of China and Russia. Sasae told reporters at a Beijing 
hotel later that day: "This round will form the watershed of the 
talks. We would like to reach an agreement on a framework to 
implement the joint statement (in September 2005, in which the North 
promised to dismantle its nuclear weapons ambitions)." Sasae 
indicated a willingness to map out an "action program," according to 
a Foreign Ministry source, specifying what response each nation 
should make and when. 
 
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said regarding the 
planned formation of an action program, "It is very important to set 
an overall time-wise framework." He, though, added, "It is to be 
seen if the North agrees to the plan," thus indicating that the 
resumed talks would produce an agreement to start implementing the 
agreement as "the first stage." 
 
Prime Minister Abe has expressed his determination to set forth 
progress in the abduction issue as the precondition for offering 
energy aid to Pyongyang. However, in the event that the North takes 
concrete steps to renounce nuclear arms, many government officials 
anticipate that "Japan may have to take some measures, because if 
Japan falls out of step with the other five countries, North Korea 
would take advantage of it." The Japanese government intends to call 
on the countries concerned to fully reflect Japan's stand on the 
abduction issue in it if an agreement is reached on an action 
program. Sasae said yesterday, "It is vital to take up the abduction 
issue and move it forward in the talks." 
 
5) US, North Korea signed memorandum in January with US providing 
assistance and DPRK suspending nuclear reactor at same time; US made 
concessions during Berlin talks 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00000560  004 OF 010 
 
 
February 8, 2007 
 
Nobuyoshi Sakajiri, Beijing 
 
When US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill held talks in 
Berlin in January with North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye 
Gwan, they reached a broad agreement on initial steps for the 
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and signed a memorandum, 
sources said. The memorandum includes a promise to provide energy 
and humanitarian assistance to North Korea in return for suspending 
the operation of a nuclear reactor in Yongbyon within several weeks, 
according to the sources. The six-party talks set to resume today in 
Beijing are expected to proceed based on this agreement. 
 
This was revealed by some US-DPRK relations sources. It was 
apparently the first case for a senior US official to have exchanged 
documents within the six-party talks framework. Immediately after 
the Berlin talks, a North Korean Foreign Ministry official said: "A 
certain level of agreement was reached (through the talks)." 
 
The memorandum notes that North Korea will suspend the operation of 
its 5-megawatt graphite-moderated reactor in Yongbyon and allows 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, who were 
expelled from the nuclear plant in December, to return to the site, 
and that the United States will provide energy and humanitarian 
assistance to the North. Specifics, such as the quantity and the 
types of assistance, are not specified in the memorandum. They are 
expected to become a major topic in the six-party talks. 
 
Earlier this month, Vice Minister Kim in Pyongyang asked visiting 
former US government officials for a supply of over 500,000 tons of 
heavy oil annually or electric power equivalent to that until 
light-water reactors are completed. 
 
The South Korean government is considering resuming rice and 
fertilizer assistance, which has been suspended since North Korean 
missile tests last July. Pyongyang is likely to seek more aid. 
 
In the memorandum, suspension of the operation of the nuclear 
reactor coincides with the timing for resuming assistance, according 
to the sources. In Tokyo yesterday, Hill highlighted the need to 
take action for implementing initial measures "within single-digit 
weeks." Chinese authorities also expressed eagerness to implement 
initial measures mentioned in the joint statement in two months' 
time. They seem to have 60 days in mind. 
 
According to the sources, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, 
the chair of the six-party talks, has received a copy of the 
memorandum from Hill and has been briefed by Kim Gye Gwan, as well. 
 
6) Outline of fisheries basic plan: Establish catch quota for each 
fishing boat to step up control of resources in EEZ 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2008 
 
The outline of a fisheries' basic plan starting in fiscal 2007, 
which will become basic guidelines for fisheries policy, was 
revealed yesterday. In order to strengthen the control of resources 
in Japan's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the 
outline stipulates that the introduction of an individual quota (IQ) 
system to decide a catch quota for each fishery operator and fishing 
 
TOKYO 00000560  005 OF 010 
 
 
boat should be looked for. 
 
The present fishing control system is called the Olympic method, 
which allows fishing operators to compete freely. Fishing operators 
are requested to stop their operations when their operations reach 
the total allowable catch (TAC) by fish species. However, there have 
been many cases in which the operations exceed the TAC. The IQ 
system is designed to prevent such "a loophole." Major fishing 
countries, such as the United States and Norway, have already 
introduced this system. 
 
The Fisheries Agency will have its Fisheries Policy Council discuss 
the outline to formulate a plan within the year. According to the 
outline, the self-sufficient rate of fish and seafood for eating 
would be increased from the 57% in fiscal 2006 to 65% in fiscal 
2017, postponing from fiscal 2012 stipulated in the present 
fisheries basic plan. In an attempt to promote structural reforms in 
fishing villages, the outline proposes introducing in fiscal 2008 
measures, such as subsidies for fishing operators who meet fixed 
conditions. 
 
7) Prime minister attends convention calling for return of Northern 
Territories, showing eagerness to resolve the issue 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Abe attended the National Convention for the Return 
of the Northern Territories held by the government and 
private-sector groups in Tokyo yesterday marking Northern 
Territories Day. Delivering a speech in the rally, Abe expressed his 
determination to work hard to resolve the deadlocked issue, saying: 
 
"Improvement in Japan-Russia relations will certainly benefit the 
two countries. I will persistently address the Northern Territories 
issue in an effort to reach a settlement." 
 
It has become customary for the prime minister to attend the annual 
convention, but former Prime Minister Koizumi did not attend it for 
two consecutive years for such reasons as a cold and the Diet 
schedule. Given this, some had questioned the government's interest 
in the issue. 
 
In the convention yesterday, one participant criticized Foreign 
Minister Aso for the idea he presented last December to set a border 
by splitting the four islands in half by area. 
 
8) Japan gets no info from S. Korea about rocket plan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
February 8, 2007 
 
South Korea has plans to launch a rocket in 2008 at a site currently 
under construction on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. 
Meanwhile, the Japanese and South Korean governments' informal 
consultations on this issue have been delayed, sources revealed. In 
addition, South Korea has not disclosed information about the rocket 
plan, including its flight path and safety measures. Since the 
rocket's flight path is unknown, the Fisheries Agency remains unable 
to give explanations to Japanese fishermen operating near the launch 
site. Tokyo will work on Seoul to hold the next round of 
consultations by this summer at the latest. 
 
TOKYO 00000560  006 OF 010 
 
 
 
South Korea is now building a large-scale launch site on an island 
situated about 150 km west of Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, and 
about 200 km northwest of Fukuejima, one of the Goto Islands in the 
prefecture. South Korea will start next year to operate the KSLV-1, 
a rocket designed to deliver a 100-kg miniature scientific satellite 
to a low orbit at an altitude of 300-1,500 km. 
 
9) Agreement already reached between Japanese, US governments on 
Futenma plan: USFJ commander 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
US Forces Japan (USFJ) Commander Wright, meeting the press 
yesterday, underscored his negative view of revising the plan to 
relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa 
Prefecture to the coastal area of Camp Schwab in the northern 
Okinawa city of Nago as part of USFJ realignment. Defense Minister 
Fumio Kyuma has suggested a revision of the coastal relocation plan. 
"The Japanese and US governments have agreed on the entire picture," 
Wright said. Meanwhile, Kyuma has said Japan would do what concerns 
Japan. Asked about this stance, Wright stressed the importance of 
bilateral consultations between Japan and the United States, 
suggesting the need for Japan and the United States to talk with 
each other constantly at intergovernmental and all other levels. 
 
In addition, Kyuma and Foreign Minister Taro Aso have also voiced 
their criticism of the United States' Iraq policy. Wright, however, 
indicated that their critical remarks would have little impact on 
bilateral relations, saying, "Secretary of Defense Gates will 
continue every possible effort to maintain our strong alliance." 
 
10) F-22 deployment to Kadena proves importance of alliance: USFJ 
chief 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
US Forces Japan (USFJ) will temporarily deploy the F-22 Raptor, a 
state-of-the-art stealth fighter jet, to the US Kadena Air Base in 
Okinawa Prefecture from Feb. 10. This deployment proves that the US 
government regards the Japan-US alliance as "very important," USFJ 
Commander Bruce Wright told the Yomiuri Shimbun and other news media 
in Tokyo yesterday. Wright stressed that the planned F-22 deployment 
to Kadena is aimed at showing the United States' intention to be 
deeply engaged in East Asia, given such instabilities as North 
Korea's nuclear test. The US Air Force plans to deploy a total of 12 
F-22 jets to Kadena for about three months. Wright explained that 
their first long-range flight from the US mainland to Japan is also 
a part of their training. 
 
Meanwhile, China recently test-destroyed a satellite in outer space 
with a ballistic missile. "This is new cause for concern about 
China's forces," Wright said. The commander added: "We will 
carefully remain on the alert in cooperation with Japan, South 
Korea, and Russia. We'd like to grasp China's intentions toward East 
Asia and the world, while constructively engaged with that 
country." 
 
11) PKO: Defense Ministry to expand dispatches of individuals; 
Training of experts to be started 
 
TOKYO 00000560  007 OF 010 
 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly Abridged) 
February 5, 2007 
 
The Defense Ministry yesterday decided to expand dispatches of 
individuals, such as truce monitors and headquarters personnel, to 
United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKO) and started making 
preparations to set up a training system for experts. The decision 
is based on the decision that in order for Japan to aim at securing 
a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), it 
must dispatch personnel who can fulfill the role of advisers, as one 
senior Defense Ministry official put it. The readiness command to be 
launched in March will start personnel training. 
 
The government plans to dispatch in March eight Self-Defense Forces 
personnel to the UN Political Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) for 
monitoring the ceasefire between the Nepal government and the Maoist 
Nepal Communist Party, former insurgents. The dispatch of ceasefire 
monitoring personnel by Japan will be the first since the 1992-93 
dispatch of personnel to the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia 
(UNTAC) for reconciliation. 
 
The UN has sounded out Japan about the possibility of dispatching 
5-10 personnel who have served as ceasefire monitors. However, most 
of those who were dispatched to UNTAC are now in the position of 
commanding troops. It is not possible to dispatch them easily. As 
such, the Defense Ministry has decided to dispatch personnel mainly 
from among lieutenant colonels and majors who have served in 
overseas operations, such as Iraq, even though they have not yet 
served as ceasefire monitors. 
 
Since UNTC, only 65 personnel from among approximately 5,500 SDF 
personnel who have taken part in PKO have been dispatched as 
ceasefire monitors and personnel attached to headquarters. In an 
interview with the Sankei Shimbun, former commander Sharma of the UN 
Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), to which the SDF dispatches 
transportation unit personnel, pointed out: "The extent to which 
Japan is cooperating on PKOs cannot be seen if it only provides 
logistical support. It should exercise leadership by dispatching 
personnel at the rank of generals and officers." 
 
12) Prime minister to make all-out effort to deal with falling 
birthrate: Health Minister Yanagisawa refuses to withdraw "healthy" 
statement 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
Regarding measures to deal with the nation's falling birthrate, 
Prime Minister Abe during a Lower House Budget Committee session 
expressed his determination to have the cabinet tackle the issue as 
a body. He noted, "We are responsible for creating an environment 
where people can have babies and raise them, feeling at ease. We 
will do our utmost in order to create a society in which young 
people who want to get married and have children can realize their 
dreams. 
 
Commenting on his statement made on Feb. 6 that "young people want 
to get married and have two or more children," and that this is a 
"very healthy situation," Health, Labor and Welfare Minister 
Yanagisawa stressed that he has no intention of taking back his 
statement. He noted, "I do not understand why I have to retract my 
 
TOKYO 00000560  008 OF 010 
 
 
statement." He then said, "Although young people may have such 
aspirations, there is a reality blocking their desires from being 
realized. Our challenge in tackling the declining birthrate is to 
fill that gap." 
 
13) Minshuto to continue to pursue Health Minister Yanagisawa 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 8, 2007 
 
Yesterday a full-fledged debate started over Health, Labor and 
Welfare Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa's controversial remarks at the 
House of Representatives Budget Committee as Diet proceedings 
returned to normal after one week. The main opposition party 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) developed a strategy of 
pointing out the government's defective measures for narrowing the 
social and income disparity and to help the socially weak, It will 
also take up the issue Yanagisawa's controversial remarks. The 
government, meanwhile, will strive to defend its position by taking 
a low posture. 
 
Minshuto's Yukio Edano, whose wife underwent fertility treatment, 
and female lawmakers, familiar with the low birthrate issue, joined 
the debate to stress the seriousness of Yanagisawa's comments. 
 
"(The health, labor and welfare minister) has repeatedly apologized 
for his remarks. Do you really think your comments were 
inappropriate? You cannot be forgiven by just offering apologies," 
Yoko Komiya of Minshuto questioned Yanagisawa's true feelings. 
 
The reason why Minshuto is thoroughly pursuing Yanagisawa's remarks 
is the thinking that "his comments that shows his low view of women 
symbolically describes the Abe cabinet's views and policy," said a 
senior party member. Komiya also stressed: "The prime minister is 
blame to for appointing him to the post. I assume that the prime 
minister cannot sack him because (his remarks) are similar to the 
cabinet's basic stance." The questioners brought about such social 
disparities as the expansion of non-regulatory employment, the 
shortage of obstetricians and gynecologists, and the existence of 
the working poor. Hiroshi Kawakami questioned: "Do you think Japan 
has an environment under which people can raise children with an 
easy mind?" 
 
Yanagisawa repeatedly bowed deeply in apology, responding, "I 
apologize again for making inappropriate remarks." 
 
14) DPJ President Ozawa's "slow but steady strategy" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 8, 2007 
 
Daihaku Kasai 
 
The opposition Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ or Minshuto) 
President Ichiro Ozawa has resumed "canvassing one-seat 
constituencies," which he had suspended since the start of the year. 
Ozawa played a leading part in the recent tactic of boycotting Diet 
deliberations aimed at calling for Health Minister's resignation 
from his post, but now he intends to put Diet affairs into Acting 
Vice President Naoto Kan's hands and devote all his energies to 
preparations for the Upper House election. Although attention is now 
again focused on the moves of unaffiliated voters, Ozawa places 
 
TOKYO 00000560  009 OF 010 
 
 
importance on "grassroots" campaigning strategy to go out to meet as 
many people as possible to garner votes. He plans to hold a 
mini-gathering with farmers and owners of small businesses in 
various places across the country. 
 
"Most Japanese are unaffiliated voters, aren't they? Someone says 
the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has a monopoly on one-seat 
constituencies, but my analysis is that we have yet to make a good 
approach to them," Ozawa told a press conference at the Japan 
National Press Club yesterday and stressed that slow but steady 
campaigning by going out to various places to meet people will be a 
good measure to attract unaffiliated voters. He refrained from 
campaigning in January because of the party convention and 
preparations for a representative interpellation in the Diet, but he 
now declared: "I will spend more than half of this month and next 
month to visit local places." Starting with his visit to Fukui 
Prefecture on Feb. 2, Ozawa went to Ehime Prefecture on Feb. 5 and 
entered Yamagata Prefecture on Feb. 6. He is energetically moving to 
back up and support candidates. 
 
The key to whether Ozawa can achieve the goal of upsetting the 
positions of the ruling and opposition parties in this summer's 
Upper House election is how many wins his party will have in the 29 
one-seat constituencies up for the election across the country. So 
far Minshuto has determined candidates to run for 22 such 
constituencies, including those in Akita Prefecture, Toyama 
Prefecture, and Okinawa Prefecture, where joint candidates will be 
put up in cooperation with other opposition parties, such as the 
Social Democratic Party (SDP). Ozawa has a strong interest in the 
Tohoku bloc, his home turn. He stressed, "The Tohoku area has four 
one-seat constituencies and it is an area that has most suffered the 
negative impact of politics discarding the weak." Early next week, 
he will go to Aomori Prefecture and Akita Prefecture. 
 
15) Lawmaker Nishimura ruled guilty over lending name 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
February 8, 2007 
 
The Osaka District Court yesterday gave a suspended two-year prison 
sentence to House of Representatives lawmaker Shingo Nishimura, 58, 
for receiving illegal kickbacks in return for allowing an 
unqualified person to use his name and perform legal work. Presiding 
Judge Hiroyuki Nakagawa said, "He eroded public trust in the law 
profession and his deed is irresponsible." But the judge acquitted 
Nishimura on charges of violating the law to prevent organized 
crime. 
 
Nishimura: I will continue to serve in Diet seat 
 
At a press conference after he was handed the verdict, Nishimura 
said: "I want to apologize from the bottom of my hart to the 
public." He expressed, however, his intention to continue his 
parliamentary activities, saying, "There is no change in my position 
to work on the North Korea's abduction issue in order to fulfill my 
duty as a Diet member." 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), to which he belonged, has 
already dismissed him from membership and adopted a resolution 
calling on him to give up on his Lower House seat. According to the 
Public Offices Election Law and the Diet Law, if he violated the 
Attorney Law, he will lose his Diet seat when his jail sentence is 
 
TOKYO 00000560  010 OF 010 
 
 
decided. 
 
SCHIEFFER